Mayor's Community Update - 09/14/2018
Greetings! The Waupun Senior Center has been approved as a dementia friendly facility by the ADRC of Dodge County. A purple angel sticker now appears in the window and indicates that staff inside the building has received dementia awareness training and is sensitive to the needs of patrons who may have dementia. Additionally, the Senior Center has been evaluated and cleared as a dementia friendly environment. So, what does this mean for our community? As our population ages, and the instance of persons living with dementia increase, we’re taking action to put supports in place that can help citizens remain as independent as possible within our community. According to Dementia Friendly America, a dementia-friendly community is one that is informed, safe and respectful of individuals with disease, their families and caregivers and provides supportive options that foster quality of life. Every part of our community plays a role in creating a supportive culture that meets the needs of our citizens. For businesses that may mean training your staff to be responsive to the needs of customers with dementia, for law enforcement and first responders that may mean training to recognize and respond to the signs of dementia, and for community members that may mean learning to interact sensitively and to create support networks that help people with dementia remain as independent as possible in our community. This is just one step being taken as part of our aging in place initiative. Do you have a business or organization that would benefit from becoming dementia friendly? Contact Rachel Kaminski at the Senior Center at 324-7930 to set up a free training.
Around town, Marsh Haven Nature Center has some amazing fall programs coming up. On Tuesday, September 18, at 8 p.m. they are offering an astronomy class, and on Saturday, September 22, they will hold their Fall Living History Festival. More information can be found on the city’s website. See you around town!
See you around town! ~ Mayor Julie Nickel
